S1480
Interdisciplinary - Patient involvement
ESTRO 2026
Ireland. 6 Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Galway, Galway, Ireland
Purpose/Objective: BackgroundIreland, an island nation without a domestic PBT facility, must refer eligible patients abroad—mainly to the UK and Germany. This creates considerable logistical, emotional and financial burdens for patients and families who must travel long distances for treatment, as well as administrative challenges for referring consultants. Referral rates from Ireland remain significantly lower than in countries of similar population size e.g. Denmark.ObjectiveTo understand barriers to PBT referral from Ireland and improve access and patient experience by developing structured supports, informed by the patient voice. Material/Methods: The NCCP Proton Group reviewed existing referral processes, incorporating feedback from clinicians, service administrators and, crucially, patients who had travelled abroad for PBT. Thematic analysis identified barriers including high personal costs, lack of logistical information, limited psychosocial support, and extensive administrative demands on referring consultants. Two national interventions were developed:Patient information leaflet, co-designed with patients and advocacy groups, providing clear, practical guidance on referral processes, travel and accommodation logistics and available financial supports.Dedicated national PBT coordinator (RTT) post, established to support patients and families throughout the referral and treatment pathway, facilitate communication between Irish and international centers and assist referring consultants with administrative requirements. Results: Patient input was instrumental to shaping both initiatives. The leaflet addresses practical patient information needs and enhances preparedness for treatment abroad. The coordinator provides direct support to patients and families, streamlines communication between oncology teams, and relieves clinicians of administrative burdens, enabling greater focus on clinical care. These interventions collectively reduce the significant emotional and logistical burden on patients and families, streamlines consultant workload, and supports equitable access to PBT for patients from Ireland. Conclusion: Introducing a structured, patient-informed support pathway and a dedicated national coordination role represents a pragmatic approach for countries without PBT facilities to address non-clinical barriers to referral. This approach alleviates the logistical and emotional burden for patients and families travelling abroad, while supporting consultants to focus on
Fig.1 Results of the 6-point Likert questionnaire rating the quality of the chatbot provided answers user comfortqualityrecommandationcould replace speaking to a doctorwould use again helpful decision making aid physicians 100%85%80%70%90%75%medical staff100%90%85%95%95%95%radiation oncologists100%90%75%75%85%90%students95%90 %95%60%90%90%patient representatives77.5%80%87.5%85%92.5%87.5%total9 0%85%85%77.5%90%87.5%Fig.2 Results of the 5-point Likert questionnaire rating chatbot quality and usability Conclusion: Developing a structured LLM-based decision-aid is feasible with robust sourcing, integrating, and validation processes. This approach shows applicability to more individualized information about radiotherapy in breast cancer patients. A randomized trial to evaluate clinical acceptance and investigate implementation strategies of LLM in shared decision- making (SDM) is starting recruiting in Q1/2026. Keywords: Shared decision making, Breast Cancer, LLM
Digital Poster 2208
Improving proton beam therapy (PBT) access for Irish patients through national coordination, patient engagement and support initiatives Evelyn O'Shea 1 , Fiona Bonas 1 , Naomi Lavan 2 , Patricia Daly 2 , Orla McArdle 2 , Clare Faul 1,2 , Sarah Cain 3 , Owen Smith 4,1 , Maeve Keys 2 , Aisling Barry 5 , Cormac Small 6 , Martin Higgins 5 , Fran Duane 2 , Stephen Coyne 6 , Brendan McClean 3,1 1 Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Control Programme, Dublin, Ireland. 2 Radiation Oncology, SLRON, Dublin, Ireland. 3 Physics, SLRON, Dublin, Ireland. 4 Medical Oncology, CHI, Dublin, Ireland. 5 Radiation Oncology, Cork University Hospital, Cork,
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